This invention relates generally to a horse drawn sulky. More particularly, this invention relates to a racing sulky to be drawn by a trotting or pacing horse in harness racing competition.
In harness racing, a trotting or pacing horse closely draws a two-wheeled sulky or xe2x80x9cbikexe2x80x9d which supports a driver on a seat positioned between two (2) co-axially arranged wheels. The basic components of the sulky typically include two (2) forward extending spaced apart shafts attached at the rear to a wheel and seat support assembly. The horse is positioned between the two (2) shafts, which are attached to a saddle positioned at the horse""s front shoulders or withers.
Speed and maneuverability are primary concerns in the design and construction of racing sulkies. Until now, however, little attention has been given to improving the design, construction and aerodynamics of racing sulkies to reduce overall resistance to the horse""s forward motion and thereby increase racing speed.
More recent sulky designs comprise a pair of spaced apart generally longitudinally extending shafts extending forwardly from a transverse member on which the sulky""s wheels are mounted. The rear portions of the shafts are attached to the transverse member. However, the shafts are spread wide apart over their entire length to accommodate the width of the horse. As a consequence, the shafts are in the air stream created by the horse as it runs, causing some wind resistance. Also, the rear portions of the shafts, upon which stirrups are mounted, are spaced uncomfortably far apart, requiring the driver to spread his legs appreciably in order to put his feet in the stirrups.
The driver""s seat extends horizontally and rearwardly from the transverse member. As a consequence, the driver is held upright with his upper body perpendicular to the forward motion of the cart. In this position, the driver""s upper body creates significant wind resistance. To reduce resistance, some drivers may lean rearwardly reducing the amount of wind resistence. But, this position is difficult for the driver to physically maintain, particularly while seeking to maintain control over both the horse and sulky.
In addition to the awkward positioning of the driver, known seats are generally attached at a portion of the upper surface of the transverse member by a pair of bars or tubes, which typically have a circular cross-section. Since conventional transverse members are circular or oval in cross-section, this type of attachment may be tangential and, thus, weak. Moreover, the limited joint area focuses the static forces created by the seated driver and the dynamic forces created during a race on a small area of the transverse member. It is thus desirable to increase the joint area to improve joint strength.
Further, the conventional attachment of known seats is above the transverse member and places the seat and, thus, the driver farther from the ground, resulting in a raised center of gravity which adversely affects the bike""s stability, tracking, and handling.
During a race, a poorly tracking bike appears to xe2x80x9cwalkxe2x80x9d with the wheels alternately advancing one in front of the other. This xe2x80x9cwalkingxe2x80x9d motion is believed to increase resistance to the bike""s forward motion.
Separately, underslung sulkies, those having struts that extend forwardly from the transverse member, tilt the transverse member back. In sulkies having non-circular transverse member cross-sections, the tilting exposes a larger portion of the member""s surface area to the wind, increasing resistance to the sulky""s forward motion.
Therefore, a need exists for a sulky that reduces resistance to the horse""s forward motion while there is still a further need for a sulky that holds the driver in a stable seated position that reduces wind resistance created by the driver.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a racing sulky that reduces resistance to the horse""s forward motion.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a seat in a racing sulky that has an increased contact area where it is attached to the arch of the sulky than in the past.
At least one of the foregoing objects of the present invention are achieved by a racing sulky comprising a pair of rails, each having a first end and a second end, an arch having an upper surface adjacent the second ends, having a pair of struts extending downwardly from each end of the transverse member, a wheel rotatably mounted in each of the pair of struts, and a seat attached to the arch across substantially the entire upper surface of the arch.
The present invention further provides a seat in a racing sulky to be drawn by a horse, the sulky comprising a pair of rails adjacent an arch having a pair of wheels rotatably supported thereon, the seat comprising a pair of support members wrapped substantially around the arch and extending rearwardly from the arch, forming a seat receiving portion, a seat supported on the seat receiving portion of the support members.
The present invention further provides a racing sulky to be drawn by a horse, comprising an arch having a pair of wheels rotatably supported thereon, said arch having an airfoil cross-section, and a pair of rails adjacent the arch.
Other objects of the present invention are attained by a racing sulky, comprising an arch including a transverse member having a non-circular cross-section and a pair of struts, a pair of rails adjacent the arch, the struts extending downwardly and forwardly from the transverse member, wherein the transverse member has a major axis, the major axis being oriented substantially parallel to a ground plane, and a wheel rotatably supported on each of the struts.
Still another object of the present invention is attained by a seat support supporting a seat in a racing sulky having an arch having a cross-section rotatably supporting a pair of wheels and a pair of rails adjacent the arch for attaching the arch to a horse, the seat support comprising a support member in supporting relation to the seat and a portion of the support member extending adjacent a majority of the arch in terms of its cross-section, the portion attaching the support member to the arch.
Yet further objects of the present invention are attained by a racing sulky, comprising an arch having a non-circular cross-section, the cross-section having a leading end and a trailing end, a pair of wheels rotatably supported on the arch, a pair of rails adjacent the arch, and a seat supported by at least one support member, the support member having a first end and a second end, the seat being supported on the second end, and the first end being located adjacent behind the transverse member adjacent to the trailing end.
At least one of the objects of the present invention, as well as other advantages thereof over existing prior art forms, which will become apparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by the improvements hereinafter described and claimed.